Mobile operators have repeatedly tried to create open platforms to expose their application programming interfaces (APIs) in order to build broad developer communities to rival those of the Internet giants and improve their position in the online value chain. However, successive attempts, such as the ill-fated Wholesale Application Community (WAC) have had limited impact and have often fallen apart amidst conflicts of interest between operators. The GSMA has established some successful open APIs in specific applications but in general, operators have resorted to their own APIs, an approach that fragments the addressable market for applications developers, in stark contrast to the huge bases of Android, iOS or Amazon. But Andy Tiller, head of member products and services at TM Forum…